In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)

In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a technology that introduces the female egg (oocyte) and male sperm together in a specialized culture medium where the chances of successful fertilization are greatly enhanced. The embryos are observed and grown in our IVF laboratory, where they are graded for quality and reintroduced to the recipient's uterus at a multicell embryo stage or later at the blastocyst embryo stage. All procedures required during an IVF cycle, including ovarian stimulation and monitoring, egg retrieval and embryo transfer, are performed on-site in our state-of-the-art facilities.

IVF was originally designed to help women with tubal disease that could not conceive naturally. Today, IVF is the treatment of choice for various types of infertility for couples that have not had success with less invasive treatments. If you have any of the following conditions, you may be a good candidate for IVF:

IVF Treatment Steps

Regardless of your circumstance, our well-recognized and regarded fertility specialists work closely with you to develop a personalized treatment plan. Personalized treatment protocols are developed between the physicians and the patient. Our fertility specialists will provide you with the highest quality fertility care for your IVF.

FCC’s IVF treatments encompass the following steps:

Your Initial Consultation
You will meet with one of our physicians, at which time we will review your medical history and establish your unique IVF treatment plan. At this appointment, you also will have the opportunity to meet with one of our financial counselors to review your insurance and financial options.

Pretreatment Preparation
Pretreatment testing will include blood work to determine hormone levels, a semen analysis (if applicable), and a uterine assessment. In order to have the optimal outcome with your IVF treatment, we review your medical history and the results of your pretreatment testing before we finalize a protocol that is tailored for you.

Start of Pills
Oral contraceptive pills will begin on day four of your cycle after all pretreatment testing has been completed. You will take birth control pills anywhere from two to four weeks. Birth control pills will help prepare your ovaries to be cyst free, aid in the synchronization of follicular growth, and help in the coordination and planning of your fertility care.

Controlled Ovarian Hyperstimulation
An IVF cycle begins with ovarian stimulation and ultrasound monitoring. A baseline pelvic ultrasound will ensure a healthy starting point before initiating medication for the stimulation and assessment of egg production. You will take hormone injections to recruit multiple eggs from your ovaries. During this time, follicular development and hormone levels will be monitored for appropriate growth for several days. Once your follicles have reached the ideal size, you will be ready for egg retrieval.

Monitoring Visits
Approximately three to five office visits will be conducted for ultrasounds and for the assessment of blood hormone levels in order to accurately assess egg maturity.

Ovidrel or Lupron/hCG
A special medication will be administered 36 hours prior to the retrieval of your eggs.

Transvaginal Retrieval of Eggs and IVF Laboratory
Ultrasound-guided, transvaginal egg retrieval is a procedure in which a long, thin needle is passed through the vagina into the ovary. The physician aspirates the follicles from the ovary. The follicular fluid is collected in test tubes, where the embryologist carefully searches for the eggs. The eggs are rinsed, counted, and placed in an incubator. Later that day, the eggs are fertilized with sperm either by standard insemination or Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). A pleasant intravenous experience ensures your comfort in the care of a certified anesthesiologist for the harvesting of your eggs if patients request.

Embryo Culture and Assessment
During IVF, your embryos are cultured for up to six days in a temperature-controlled incubator. Each day the embryos are evaluated for quality and development. This information is shared with the doctors to help determine the appropriate day for embryo transfer, which is typically day three or day five of embryo culture. Our embryologists will call you each day to update you on the embryo quality and to answer any questions you may have.

Embryo or Blastocyst Transfer
Embryos are typically transferred back to the uterus on day three, when the embryo is at a multicell stage, or day five, when the embryo is at a blastocyst stage. This simple procedure usually requires no anesthesia. The embryo transfer is a very special experience. Your doctor and embryologist will discuss the number of embryos to transfer that will provide you the highest probability of success and the lowest probability of high-order multiple births. You will be given ample time to discuss your embryos and decide on the number of embryos to transfer. You also will receive pictures of your embryos being transferred for your records. Once you have decided on the number of embryos to transfer, you will see your embryos loaded into the embryo catheter via microscopic video. The transfer itself may cause mild irritation to the cervix or uterus.

Pregnancy Test
We will schedule your pregnancy test 14 to 16 days after your transfer. When your first pregnancy test is positive, a repeat value will be obtained 48 hours later. To confirm the positive pregnancy test, we will schedule an obstetrical ultrasound two weeks following these pregnancy tests. At this visit we will be looking for implantation of embryos and fetal heart motion.